How to Kill a Ginger Plant

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Ginger plants (Hedychium gardnerianum), also known as kahili ginger, are vigorous growers that quickly overpower other plant life in the home landscape. The plant has a curious fragrance and striking yellow-orange flowers that although pleasant, limit the growth potential and mar the aesthetics of nearby plant life. Ginger plants thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10 in shade to full sun exposure, moist, well-draining soil with moderate water. Whether using a mechanical or chemical method to kill ginger plants, remove the flower heads first, a technique referred to as deadheading.

Deadheading

1

Cut a slit in a sheet of plastic sheeting with a utility knife. Spread the sheeting open at the slit and drape it over the ginger plant and cover the ground with it. The sheeting will catch the seeds when you remove the flower heads.

2

Cut the flower heads from the ginger at their pedicels using pruning shears, the point where the flower meets the stem.

3

Place the flowers and seeds in a black plastic bag to and allow them decompose if using for compost. If you're not composting, discard them. Remove the plastic sheeting and reserve for another use.

Mechanical Removal

1

Dig a 4- to 6-inch-wide 3-foot deep trench 1 foot out from the ginger plant on all sides with a scoop shovel. Wild ginger roots grow deeper than they do laterally, usually between 2 and 3 feet.

2

Work the shovel under the plant with a rocking motion to loosen the roots from the soil. Lift the plant from the soil with a shovel place it in a black plastic bag and let it decompose if you're composting. If not, discard the ginger plant.

3

Comb through the soil with your hands and remove remaining parts of the root system or rhizomes, which are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 4 inches long. Look the surrounding area over for any red, three-quarter-inch-long seeds and discard any you find. Place any seeds and rhizomes in a bag for composting or discard.

Chemical Removal

1

Cover any nearby plants with plastic bags to protect them from overspray. Secure the bags to the plant stems with tape or rubber bands. Apply glyphosate on a dry, non-windy day when it's above 60 degrees Fahrenheit to limit overspray and maximize effectiveness.

2

Mix together an herbicide containing 40 percent of the active ingredient glyphosate with one-fourth the manufacturer’s recommended amount of water.

3

Pour the diluted herbicide in the tank of a backpack sprayer or compression tank sprayer and seal the tank. Agitate the tank several times to ensure a good mix and open the tank. Alternatively, use a small spray bottle if killing only one ginger plant.

4

Pour the remaining three-fourths amount of water recommended by the manufacturer in the tank and seal it. Agitate the tank again and adjust the nozzle to the finest setting. Spray the ginger plants on all sides until covered, but not running off.

5

Clean the tank with warm soapy water after use. Spray soapy water through the hose and nozzle to clean. Check the inside the tank for any visible deposits of herbicide and wash again if needed. Rinse the tank, hose and nozzle with water and allow them to air dry.

Things You Will Need

Utility knife

Plastic sheeting

Pruning shears

Black plastic bag

Scoop shovel

Plastic bags

Tape or rubber bands

Herbicide containing 41 percent glyphosate

Backpack sprayer, compression tank sprayer or spray bottle

Warnings

Use ginger for compost only after it has decomposed completely. Ginger is a vigorous grower and, unless you have a hot, regularly turned compost pile, grows back readily.

Wear protective gloves, long sleeves, long pants and protective eyewear when using glyphosate.

Keep people and pets away from the spraying area until the herbicide dries.

Dispose of unused glyphosate at a designated hazardous waste site in your area. Never flush herbicide down a toilet, empty it in a sink or pour it out on the ground.

About the Author

A.J. Andrews' work has appeared in Food and Wine, Fricote and "BBC Good Food." He lives in Europe where he bakes with wild yeast, milks goats for cheese and prepares for the Court of Master Sommeliers level II exam. Andrews received formal training at Le Cordon Bleu.